A TRIBUNAL today
adjourned a decision on whether to allow
the screening of a film by Holocaust
revisionist David Irving after the
film festival director failed to
appear.

Judge
Michael Higgins told the Victorian
Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)
that the director of the Melbourne
Underground Film Festival, Richard
Wolstencroft, had faxed a letter to
him requesting an adjournment so he could
prepare a defence.

But Mr Wolstencroft failed to attend
the VCAT where Judge Higgins was due to
decide this morning whether he should
grant a request by the Jewish Community
Council of Victoria (JCCV) for an
injunction preventing the screening of The
Search for the Truth in History.

Judge Higgins temporarily adjourned the
hearing and unsuccessfully attempted to
contact Mr Wolstencroft to ask him to make
an appearance.

When he returned to the VCAT Judge
Higgins said he would adjourn until
Monday.

"If he doesn't turn up at 10 am on
Monday, I'll deliver judgment," he
said.

Outside the court, JCCV president
Michael Lipshutz said the film
festival management had shown little
regard for the tribunal.

He accused Mr Wolstencroft of being
available to the media and not the
tribunal.

"They are playing it to the media on a
freedom of speech issue, which it's not,"
he told reporters.- AAP